The Blackthorn – Original Savoy Recipe

This week has been jam packed and I haven’t had nearly enough time to explore this cocktail to the depth I’d like.  So, rather than cutting my explorations short, I’m going to extend in to a second week and do this right.  One of the angles I have yet to explore is the original recipe for the Blackthorn from The Savoy Cocktail Book.

Blackthorn (Savoy)
1 1/2 oz Irish Whiskey
1 1/2 oz French (Dry) Vermouth
3 Dashes Angostura Bitters
3 Dashes Absinthe
1) Combine ingredients in a shaker with ice
2) Shake until well chilled
3) Strain into a cocktail glass

There are a couple interesting points to note about the recipe itself before I even get a chance to mix it up.  First, note that this original recipe calls for dry vermouth rather than the sweet called for in Regan’s recipe.  While this change will certainly alter the flavor of the cocktail quite significantly it shows a good example of how one can tweak a recipe by changing only one ingredient.  Second, note that this recipe calls for the drink to be shaken despite all the ingredients being clear.  As we’ve seen from previous experiments this will likely result in a colder, more diluted finished cocktail.  Whether this was the intent of the original recipe’s author is hard to say as nearly every cocktail recipe in the Savoy calls for shaking.

So, with that, I’m again off on the cocktail journey.  Check back next week for my findings on the differences in recipes and techniques.  Should be a tasty week.


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Comments

3 responses to “The Blackthorn – Original Savoy Recipe”

  1. boozeblogger Avatar

    Any preference for the whiskey brands for this drink? Generally, my go-to Irish whiskey is Bushmills.

  2. Reese Avatar

    BB,

    I’ve been using Jameson this week. I had some on hand and I quite like it. Also, since this drink has a pretty high level of vermouth (a very flavorful ingredient) most of the subtlety of the whiskey is lost (at least to my palate.) So, I think you could use pretty much anything you like with good results.

    -R

  3. Kimberly Avatar
    Kimberly

    Sounds like a great classic cocktail that I should try. I didn’t realize that shaking will result in a colder, more diluted cocktail. Good tip to keep in mind.